This foolproof salted maple caramel sauce is super easy and only has five ingredients! Makes a small batch but is easy to double.
This isn’t healthy in any shape or form, or even allergy-friendly, but this salted maple caramel sauce was just too good not to share! I figured some people may not like that I used brown sugar so I also made a coconut sugar version and will be posting that next week. :)
I tried a lot of different variations here. I thought spicing it up with pumpkin pie spice would be nice, but that just took away from the maple taste. I tried a cream-free version hoping to make it dairy-free, but the sugar never properly dissolved, making it gritty. I also tried Grade A (the lightest maple syrup) vs. Grade B (which has a more pronounced maple flavor). If you use Grade A, you’ll have the best and easiest salted caramel sauce ever… but it won’t taste very maple syrup-y. But you still need to add it so that you’ll have the right consistency!
Before I tried this recipe, I had attempted making about a dozen other salted caramel sauce recipes that were supposedly really easy and maybe they are for people who are properly schooled in the wonders of candy and caramel-making. But if anything involves melting straight up sugar (as in putting it in a pan with nothing else and melting it), I am 99.6% likely to fail. Even after reading the recipe 7 times in preparation and having helpers! I’m just doomed when it comes to caramel. If I can make this caramel sauce, so can you!
I’ve been pouring my multiple batches of this maple caramel goodness all over just about everything lately. Like the whole wheat pumpkin cinnamon buns I made the other day. And those apple crumbles in the background of the third picture, which will also be coming next week!
This yields a small amount but the recipe couldn’t be easier to double, triple or even quadruple. You only need about 10 minutes to whip up a batch of this sauce so I figured I’d rather have my small batch than to have a huge batch that goes bad after a week (due to the cream). I can always (and do!) make more. :)
For a version without sugar, try this Sugar-free Caramel Sauce! If you can have sugar, these Caramels look great for a traditional version.
Salted Maple Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 1/2 - 2/3 cup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) Grade B maple syrup
- 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon salt (I used 1/4 teaspoon)
Directions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Stir in the brown sugar until combined. It won't fully combine.
- Add the cream and mix until fully combined, and continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling and stirring until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2-5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, remove the pan from the burner, and add the maple syrup and salt (start off with 1/8 teaspoon and add more to taste).
- Stir until completely incorporated and the salt has dissolved.
- Use immediately or let cool completely before covering and refrigerating.
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Before serving, stir to reincorporate the maple syrup and reheat in the microwave at half power for 10-15 seconds or until warm enough for your liking.
Adapted from O Magazine's Maple Caramel Sauce
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40 comments on “Salted Maple Caramel Sauce” — Add one!
This is a delicious caramel syrup recipe…thank you! I used coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar and everyone enjoyed it! Thank you, Erin!
Hi, Jen! You’re welcome. :) I’m so glad that you and the others enjoyed it. Wish I had a jar of this right now, too. :) Thanks a bunch for your feedback!
Oh My! Calories? What are calories?
Live big –or go home!
Hi there! I don’t have that info but could use this recipe analyzer if you’d like for the nutritional profile. :)
It is so easy and so delicious!
I plan to experiment with other flavors. One idea is to put melted honey in place of the maple syrup and put cinnamon in.
Another idea is to substitute coconut oil for the butter, and put a little bit of coconut sugar and coconut milk so it has the right consistency.
I may not get to experimenting soon since my mom and I limit our sugar intake so I won’t be making this sweet delicious thing soon!
The idea would be to make cinnamon carmel, coconut caramel, and possibly almond flavored caramel or date caramel with date sugar. There might be other types….
I am suggesting this so that Erin or someone else might want to experiment.
Haha. I love the last line of your comment. :D I’ve tried a coconut sugar version and that was perhaps even more delicious! I wanted to try using coconut oil and milk for a dairy-free version before posting about it, though. I love your other ideas, too! Thanks a ton for sharing and for your feedback. :)
I made it with raw sugar instead of brown. It came out fantastic. My cousin is into Gluten Free, and I will give it to her along with a pan of pumpkin bars, and some other good cookies made with almond flour.
I made the two batches of cookies for around 4 dollars and maybe 1 hour of work time. Our nearby Health Food store charges 4-5 dollars PER PAIR OF COOKIES. So, your recipe is a Godsend.
That’s so nice of you to give your cousin this sauce along with some pumpkin bars! That must be a delicious combination. And $4 for 2 cookies is insane. Unless they’re half-pound cookies or something ridiculous, which I’m assuming the health food store isn’t selling. ;) Thanks a ton for your feedback!
Great spread on pancakes with crumbled bacon on top!
Sounds delicious! Thanks for the tip. :)
Can coconut sugar be substituted for the brown sugar and also full fat coconut milk for the cream?
I’ve made this with coconut sugar but the dark taste overpowers the maple syrup, so I don’t even add the maple syrup when I use that (which also makes the syrup thicker). You can definitely add the maple syrup, but don’t waste your money on Grade B. And I’m pretty sure full fat coconut milk would work but I’m not sure how it’d affect the caramel taste. Let me know how it goes if you try it out! :)
I love caramel!! I could eat an entire batch from the saucepan. I always have to make a double when a recipe calls for caramel cause I eat way too much!!!
Then this is your recipe! Doubling the recipe still only yields half the original recipe, so you can’t overeat by too much. ;)
I love the simplicity of this recipe, I’m a little challenged with the making of caramel sauce. And I always forget that it’s like lava and lick the spoon.
Haha. Aww. That sounds terrible! This one is quite neat, though, because you can lick the spoon. It’s just like a hot dessert sauce, rather than burning hot sugar. :D
I need a fool proof caramel and I NEED it asap! haha. Oh man, that over some cinnamon rolls or brownies… I’d the in heaven!
Thanks again for sharing this! :)
I want this. All of this! I fear if I did make this I would just sit down and eat it with a spoon…haha.
That’s always the best way. :)
You are officially an honorary Canuck. I mean anyone who can whip up this maple goodness has to be part Canadian at heart. This looks so creamy and yummy. I just want to drink it out of a mug.
Haha. What an honor! Thanks so much. Do I get a medal or a badge or something? :D
This would be dangerous in my fridge. It surely wouldn’t last long!
Come take some off my hands! I have a variety of batches you could choose from. ;)
Holy sweet caramel, Batman! Oh, that maple flavor must be killer. I’m glad you didn’t add pumpkin. Now where’s my spoon?
Haha. Glad I didn’t add pumpkin? Is pumpkin caramel sauce a thing or you’re just glad someone posted something non-pumpkiny? ;)
I can’t say I’ve ever had caramel sauce with maple.Thanks for sharing!
You need to, though! ;)
I can put this to so many good uses! Love it!
Thanks, Marjory!
Caramel sauce with maple syrup sounds just amazing!
It is indeed! ;)
This looks amazing Erin!!
Thanks, Brenda!
This just sounds so delicious to me! I want to slather it on everything!
Definitely the way to go. ;)
Oh this sounds absolutely amazing and I will give it a try but will need to sub vegan margarine as well as plain creamer. Let’s see if it will work – it sounds like the perfect holiday family treat :)
It’s not such a great recipe for dairy-free folks. Sorry about that! But your subs sound good. :)
Just pass me a spoon and I’m gonna go to town on this sauce!
Haha. I love how you work! :)